Refrigerator car construction



Sept. 10, 1940. R. BQWINSHIP 2,214,545

- REFRIGERATOR CAR CONSTRUCTION Filed June 30, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 28 I 52 v 29 47 A6 52 68 Jim 8:

[/7 z emor Ea/Zh 5 l V/g' 5/240 R. B, WlNSHlP 2,214,545

REFRIGERATOR .CAR CONSTRUCT I ON Sept. 10, 1940.

Filed June' 30, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept IO, 1940 I N v signor, by mesne, assignments, to standard Railway Refrigerator Company, a corporation g ofDelawa're ApplicationJune 30, 1938, SerialNo. 216,732 1 N g 7 Claims. 1 (Cl.105 -359) v I a v This invention relates to refrigerator cars used tanks are,-"there fore, not::only partiallyself-supto transport perishable commoditiesat a'predeporting but also help' to support theroof of' the terminedtemperature; A refrigerator car comcar) i, I

prises a: body-having insulated floor, walls and Another object is to tie the outer roof and cell-. roof and means forcooling in summer .and heat ing together with-metal-hatch frames, thus pro- 5 ing in'wintem- I viding a truss-like structure having greater t This invention applies particularly to cars havstrength and lessweight; 1 v ing the cooling means suspended-immediately be- It is another: object to construct and suspend low the ceiling of the car, said means comprising the refrigerant containers and their :supporting l0 containers, having a refrigerant therein, the remembersso that one'container may befremoved frigerant beingpure water ice, ice mixed with for repairs without disturbing either the other salt, a brine solution orfrozen brine; knownas containers or the roof of the car. j eutectic ice. It :is preferable to provide: aiflue A further objectof theginve'ntion is to use, the leading from the space surrounding the cone upper'partsof the refrigerant. containers as the tainer to below the load 'supportingforaminous ceiling of the canto support the insulation.- This 15 floor. The flue, which is preferably adjacent the arrangement eliminates both the weight and side wall ofthe car, provides a'path for the cir-. space which would .be required in the used a culation' of cooledair'and also serves to drain off i separate ceiling. I I v g e liquid from condensation on the tanks or from 'An'other object of, the, invention is to provide melting of the refrigerant. v r light, strong-meat racks, partsof which maybe 20 It is an object of this invention to build a car removed without disturbing the remainder of-the havingbunkers suspended below the ceiling and racksor'other parts of the'car. to provide a drip pan'and side flue for circulation Another object of :the invention is tosupport of air and draining of liquid. 1 r the refrigerantcontainerson the underframe by It isanother object of th invention to utilize 1 inner frame'members; :exclusive ,of the outer the spacebetween the vertical side framing memsheathing of the car.. 7 i a bers or. posts to accommodate the flue, thus de- It is another object tOaDl'Ol/id heat radiating creasing the overall thickness of the -wall..- The pipesunder the floor rack andabove thefloor of outside width of railway cars is limited .to a thecarh These are to be used in cold weather in maximum determinedvby the tunnel clearances conjunction'witha heater placed preferably-up 30' on the railroads on.which they operate. The inderneath the car. "The pipes are spaced below sidewidth' is limited to a minimum determined the zforaminousfloo'r. to allo w aspace therebe-.

by the sizes of boxes and: crates which are tween for the *movementofcirculatingair aiid shipped, therefore, with the'inside and outside above the. floor to allow for slushing of liquid widths severely, restricted the, thickness of the froni refrigerantsometimes placed in the .lading 35 wall is definitely limited. It isagreat advantage, compartment .of the car. km f then, to place the side wall'fluesbetweem the Anotherobject ofthe inventionisto providevertical posts so as notto increasethe'wall thickstiifeners for the walls and bottoms 'of the. conness. a I i V tainers tofunction :as beams-between 'the sup 40 Another object of theinventionls to eliminate porting'members of-said contalners. I 40 the usual side wall dlagonal-bracingand. substi- Itis a further object to arrange said stiffeners H tute horizontal belt rails which may beembedded to project upwardly inside'the container so as not in theinsulatiomthereby allowing the-spaceber to restrict air flow past; the sides and bottom of tween vertical posts free: for the flue. the containers. further object in havingsaid It is=a further object of the mention to use stiffeners insides said containers. is to. provide 45 a waterproof paper or fabric as the, sides of the skids or runners which facilitate movement of flue. This decreases both the weight and thick: ice towards the ends of the containers-when the ness of the car wall andalso facilitates construe-,- iceis being loaded. y I a p tion since the paper or; fabric may be secured Another object of the invention is toprovide to the wall insulation during themanufacture' means for ventilatingtheflcar. Sometypesof 50 thereof. I lading do notrequire refrigeration but requi e q .Another obiect the'invention is to construct a constant flow" of 1 air overthem tocarryaway the refrigerant containers and associated supheat which they constantly-emit.-, This inve n I porting members-so that they form ;a truss extion provides apertures in the walls of the con tending between the side walls of the car. "The tainers 50 t t [hen the plug isremoved from 5 the hatch, air may circulate through the hatch and apertures and into the lading space of the car. It is a further object of the invention to provide inverted louvers adjacent said apertures to prevent upwardly splashing liquid from said containers from entering the lading space of the car. i

It is a' further object of the invention to slope the bottoms of the refrigerant containers downwardly away from the ventilating apertures, thus reducing the tendency of liquid to splash through the apertures. I

Another object of the invention is to provide sheets of moisture-proof paper or fabric in the wall to prevent entrance of water vapor into the insulation, thus impairing the efliciency thereof. Inthe drawings: .7 u

Fig. 1 is a partial transverse section of therefrigerator car on line l| of Fig. 2. 4

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinalsection on line 22 of Fig.1. p a I Fig. 3 is a fragmentary section on line 33 of Fig. 4 is a fragmentary section on line 4-4 of Fig. 5 shows a modified construction.

The underframevof the car'comprises a center 8111.2;01'058 members (bolsters, cross-bearers and cross-ties) 3 and steel side sill angle 4. A sub-floor 5 and wooden sidesill Gare supported by the underframe of the car; the wooden sill 5 being secured to the steel sill -4 by the bolts 1. .Several layers of pliable insulation 8 rest upon the sub-floor5 and the main load supporting floor 9 is supported by the wooden side sill 6 and the stringer l0 which'also serves as a cleat to hold the insulation 8 in place. r

The side wall l5 of the car derives its principal supportfrom the Z-bar posts It which are riveted to themetallic-sub-sill H. The sub-sill I1 is supported upon and insulated from the underframe of the car by the wooden sill-5.. The posts l5 are secured at their upper ends to the inner metallic side plate and braced at intervals along their lengthby the channel shaped belt rails llwhich are riveted to the posts It. The-side insulation comprises several layers of pliable insulation 2|with a layer of waterproof material 22 secured to one face thereof. The wooden pieces 23 function to further brace the side wall l5 and to hold the'insulation 20 I in place. The metallic strips 24 and the belt rails Is also function as cleats toprevent the insulation from slipping. A wooden stringer 25 reinforced by an angle 26 and secured to the metallic sill 4 serves as the lower support for the wood sheathing 21. The upper end of the sheathing 21 is secured to the wooden piece 28 which is tied to the inner metallic side plate II by the brackets 29 spaced at intervals longitudinally of the car. The outer metallic side plate 30 is secured to the wooden piece 28.

Flues for circulation of air are formed adjacent the wall l5 by "placing on the inner side of the Z-bar posts I 5 a layer of waterproof material. Wooden lining 31- is secured to' the posts IS on top of the paper 36 to resist the side thrust of the lading. Each flue 35 extends longitudinally of the car the distance between the posts It and has for its walls the/layers of waterproof material 22 and 36. In addition to form-, ing'a waterproof flue, this material also servesas a barrier to prevent infiltration of water vapor into the insulation.

The refrigerant containers 45 are solid tanks into the plane of the web at each designed for the retention of the melted refrigerant and are formed from steel plate by welding. The bottom 45 and sides 4'|48 of each tank are formed from a single sheet of steel. The ends 49 and top 50 are separate pieces secured preferably by spot welding; the seams being waterproofed by solder or car cement. An opening is provided in the top sheet to communicate with the hatch 5|. A plurality of stiffeners 52 are welded to the sides 41, 45 and bottom 46 of .the container and extend longitudinally of the container from end to end. The stiffeners 52 function as beams to strengthen the container and as. skids upon which the ice may be pushed to the ends of the container. Apertures 53 are provided near the tops of the walls 41-48 for the-passage of air when it is desired to ventilate the car. Inverted louvers 54 tend to prevent the splashing of liquid from the tank through the apertures 53.

A: plurality-ofspaced apart channel shaped carlines 50 extend between and are .secured 'to theinner metallic sideplates l8. There are preferably 'four carlines 00 for each container 45, one positioned on each side of the hatch II and one near each end of the. container. A plurality of transverse bars 6| are secured to the bottom of each container 45. The bars 5| extenda short distance beyond each side of a container and are preferably positioned with one directly below the hatch 5| and one neareach end of a container. Each bar 6| is secured preferably by rivets 62 and a gusset plate 53 to a post IS. The bars 6| are preferably channel shaped and have 'one. flange thereof flattened end of the bar to'provideadequate space-for rivets. 1 v

The transverse bar 65 is at thecenter of a container 45 directly below the hatch'5l. A con.- necting piece 65, preferably angle shaped, connects the bars 85 of directly opposite containers. This isshown' in'Fig. 1. This construction provides effectively a continuous beam extending between the side posts l8 of the car.

Web plates 61-458 are welded'to the sides 41-45 of the container to stiffen the sides against the outward thrust of the refrigerant and to help support the sides.

wFig. 3 showsthe construction at the carline 10 adjacent the hatch 5|. A supporting member H is riveted to'the carline I0 and web plates I2 are welded to the sides 48 of the containers to stiffen the sides and to provide a means to support the containers. The web plates "are riveted to the supporting member H.

Fig. 4 showsthe construction near'the ends of the containers where the carline 15 and the transverse bars 16 lie in substantially the same: vertical plane. The plate I! functions both to connect the bars 15 of directly opposite containers and to connect said bars to the carline 15. Web plates 18 welded to the sides 48 of the containers function not only to stiffen said walls butto secure the walls 48 to the'bars ll andtheplate The outer roof 80 of the car' extends between and is supported by the outer metallic side plates 30; The roof comprises sheets 8| extending transversely of the car'and'having the transverse edges thereof upturned to formupwardly projecting flanges 82. Inverted channel shaped seam caps, or carlines fli fexte'nding'between the of refrigerant in the containers and-fare surrounded. by hatch frames 85' formed from,metallic plates. The roof-sheets *8I' areprovided with upstanding flanges 88, surrounding. the hatches 5I, said flanges 88 underlying the upper parts 81 of the hatch frames 85.. The lower parts of the hatch frames are secured by. over;-

' lapping pieces v88 tothe tops 50 of the-containthe insulation.

The insulated hatch plug 85 comprises a steel shell 88 withinsulationSl inside. gasket 98 of pliable material is providedto insulate the plug 35 at the-line of contact-with thehatch Y frame '85. The gasket 98 also functions as a containen The pipe leads seal completely around thehatch frame 85 to prevent the entrance of moisture or air, r

A pipe IN is connected-to the container 45 at its lowest edgeto drain the liquid contents of said downwardly through the flue 35 to underneath the floor. A valve I02 is provided at the lower end of the pipe IOI sothat the refrigerant may be retainedin the container U by closing the valve.

I05 from the container bottom 48 to providea passage; I08,which communicates with the side:

foraminous floor comprising spaced apart I08'spaced fromand supported on themain floorduct I01, through the A partition or drip pan I 05 is provided below each container with an upright wall I08 at the inner edge thereof to provide a central duct I01. Thedrip pan of the transverse bars SI whichspace the drip pan wall fiues 35. The. lading is-supported by a 9,by stringers IIO.,- The air circulates from the lading compartment III upwardly through the I passage I08 where it is cooled by contact with the container bottom 45, downwardly through the flue 35, through the space- II2 under the foraminous floor and upwardly between the slats I08 to the lading com- I partment I II where it'is warmed by contact with the lading.

- are provided under the foraminous floor. These pipes H5 are designed to carry a liquid which is heated by a heater preferably suspended under- The pipes II5 are neath the floor of the car. spaced below the slats I09 so as not to interfere with the circulation of air through the spaces between the slats I08. The pipes are also spaced from the main floor 9 so as not to prevent the slushing of water deposited there by the melting of ice packed with the lading or by other means.

Refrigerator cars are often used to transport meat. When used for this purpose they must be provided with racks from which the meat can be suspended. Horizontally extending channel shaped members I20 secured to the side posts I8 support the outside ends of a series of parallel pipes I2I. The inner ends of the pipes I2I are supported by a longitudinally extending inverted channel shaped member I22 suspended by rods I23 from the connecting pieces 68 and the plates 11. Longitudinally extending wooden beams I24 I05 is connected'to the bottom edges:

s a s from which meat is. suspended have holes through,

, The refrigerant containers, supporting members therefor and portions of the roof structure all cooperate to -form va sup qrting structure for,

the containers. Near the end of each container, the v.transversebars I6 and the plate 11 are connected together to form, in effect, a lower carline member disposed below the containers45. Said lower carline member and the upper carline 15 are tied together by theplate ILand the containers 45, particularly the ends 49 and sides 41-48 thereof, thereby forming acontainersup porting structure between the side walls I5 of the car. i I

,Near the center of the containers, upper carlines are disposedon each sideofthe hatch 5|. The transverse bar's'85 are connected together at thecenter of the car bythe connecting piece to I form, in effect, a lower carlinemember'disposed below the containers 45 and in avertical plane disposed between theyertical planes through the upper carlines 10., are secured to thellower carline member by the web plates 8'I68, respectively, and the walls 48 are connected to the upper carlines "by. the web plates". The containers 45, the walls 48 in particular and the walls 41, to a limited extent, therebyform a tie between'the upper andlower carlines and providecooperation therebetween to supportthe containers. I r I The refrigerant containers are constructed and supported so that any. container may be removed without disturbing other. containers or the roof structure. Atfer the drip pan has been removed all rivets are readily accessible.

The drawings show the ventilating apertures53 near the tops of the walls "-48. They would be most effective if placed in the wall 48 as the ventilating air could flow through the apertures 53 and downwardly through the central duct I0'I to the lading compartment I I I. Air passing through the apertures 53 into the channel II3 must flow downwardly through the dues 35, under the foraminous floor and upwardly to the lading compartment III.

Fig. 5 shows a modified form of ventilating apertures. The apertures I are positioned near the tops of the walls 48. Baiiie plates I3I are spaced from the walls 48 a short distance to allow air to pass through the apertures I30. Liquid which splashes through the apertures is prevented by the plates I3I from entering the central duct I01 and damaging the lading in the space below the duct I01.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the preferred form of the invention, though it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact details of construction shown and described,

\ comprising upper and lower carline members extaching means securing one of the walls of said refrigerant container to said upper carline member, and attaching means independent of said first mentioned attaching means securing said container wall to said lower carline member;

2. In a refrigerator car having a roof and tioned attaching means securing said container walls to said lower carline member.

3. In a refrigerator car having a roof and spaced apart walls, a refrigerant container below the roof and adjacent each of said car walls, and means associated with said containers to provide a support therefor, said means comprising an upper carline member extending between and secured to said car walls, a lower carline member below said container extending between and secured to said car walls, said lower carline member comprising a transverse bar secured to the bottom of each of said containers and means to connect the adjacent ends of said bars, attaching means securing the adjacent walls of said refrigerantcontainers to said upper carline mem-' ber, and attaching means independent of said first mentioned attaching means securing said container walls to said lower carline member.

4. In a refrigerator car having a roof and spaced apart walls, a refrigerant container below the roof, and means associated with said container to provide a support therefor, said means comprising spaced apart upper carline members above said container extending between and secured to said car walls, spaced apart lower carline members below said container extending between and secured to said carwalls, said upper and lower carline members being disposed in spaced apart vertical planes, attaching means securing one of the walls of said refrigerant container to said upper carline members, and attaching means 2,214,545 tending between and secured to said car walls, at-

independent of said first mentioned attaching means securing said container wall to said lower carline members.

5. Ina refrigerator ear having'a roof and spaced apart walls, a refrigerant container below the roof, and means associated with said container to provide a support therefor, said means comprising spaced apart upper carline members above said container extending between and secured to said car walls, a lower carline member below said container extending between and secured to said car walls, said lower carline member being disposed ina vertical plane between the vertical planes of said upper carline members,- attaching means securing one of the walls of said refrigerant container to said upper carline members, and'attaching means independent of said first mentioned attaching means securing said container wall to said lower carline member.

6. In a refrigerator car having a. roof and spaced apart walls, a refrigerant container below the roof, and means, associated with said container to provide a support therefor, said means comprising an upper carline member above said container extending between and secured to said car walls, spaced apart lower carline members below said container extending between and secured to said car walls, said upper carline member being disposed in a vertical plane between the vertical planes of said lower carline members, attaching means securing one of the walls of said refrigerant container to said upper c'arlinelmem ber, and. attaching'means' independent of said first mentioned attaching means securing said container wall to said lower carline member.

7. In a refrigerator car having a roof and spaced apart walls, a refrigerant container below the roof, and means associated with said container to provide a support therefor, said means comprising an upper carline member extending between and secured to said car walls, a lower carline member extending between and secured to said car walls and secured to the bottom of said container, and attachingmeans securing one of the walls of said refrigerant container to said upper carline member.

RALPH B. WINSI-HP. 

